Episode 199 / Kavita Yadav / Genpact / Assistant Vice President: Marketing and Communications
How to Stay Authentic & Thrive in an Evolving Marketplace
Kavita Yadav is the Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications at Genpact. She considers herself lucky to have worked with some of the brightest, but also kindest, minds in the industry. In her experience, purpose driven marketing has become the cornerstone of future-proof advertising strategies for brands who want to differentiate themselves and create consumer loyalty.
For Kavita, we are currently in a world of evolved marketing. Consumers are more demanding than ever, and they can see through unsubstantiated advertising, too. This means that brands can no longer afford not to display and live up to their values. They also must be authentic and credible, or they’ll lose their audiences.
This purpose driven marketing approach goes hand in hand with Kavita’s top marketing tip: creating a human connection. It’s not enough to showcase your products or services and to highlight features without sentiment. Even in B2B marketing, Kavita sees a place for true connection by appealing to how what you’re selling impacts the target audience directly.
How can brands begin to embrace authentic purpose driven marketing? For Kavita, it’s as “simple” as asking the question: “What is the value you’re providing to society?” From there, marketers can begin to identify and build on the brand’s values. This will solidify its identity and help it stand out in the evolved marketplace.
Listen to more top marketing tips from Kavita, hear how she deals with overwhelm, and find out which brands she thinks succeed at creating a human connection, on the latest episode of the podcast.
Transcript
The following gives you a good idea of what was said, but it’s not 100% accurate.
Kavita Yadav 0:00
So the consumers understand that everything is business. But by adding that authenticity, and emotional quotient you differentiate yourself.
Tom Ollerton 0:13
Hi, before we get to this week's podcast, I'd like to tell you that automated creative are releasing a book called How to make it in marketing Volume One, it is a collection of the best marketing career advice we've had from over 200 episodes of the shiny new object podcast to hear from some of the biggest, brightest and best names in the industry showing you telling you how to grow your career, you can reserve yourself a copy at this URL, so get your pens out, it's Bit.ly/MAKEITINMARKETING. Enjoy. It's a great read.
Tom Ollerton 0:51
Hello, and welcome to the shiny new object podcast. My name is Tom Ollerton. I'm the founder of automated creative and this is a weekly show where I have the pleasure and the privilege of interviewing one of our industry's leaders about their vision for the future of our industry. What could be better? I'm on a call today with Kavita Yadav, who is Assistant Vice President Marketing Communications at Genpact. Kavita, thanks for coming on the podcast today for anyone who doesn't know who you are and what you do. Could you give us a bit of a background of who you are, where you've been? And what you do today?
Kavita Yadav 1:44
Sure. Hi, Tom. First of all, thanks for having me here. If I talk about myself, then I'm a senior marketeer who believes in value driven marketing initiatives. Over the years, I have been working with some of the b2b technology organizations. And I have been fortunate to have worked in almost all domains of marketing. So be to demand generation, brand marketing, content marketing, Account Based Marketing, or very simply creative marketing. So with my experience, over the years, I know that we have to have a customer centric approach in everything we do. So yeah, and I'm fortunate to have worked with some of the greatest and kindest minds in this industry. And that has not only helped me to grow professionally, but also as an individual.
Tom Ollerton 2:36
I don't think anyone has ever said that they've worked with the kindest minds in the industry on this podcast before. So it'd be good to know who that is.
Kavita Yadav 2:44
That's a trade, you know, that you rarely find, because I have been, that's why I say I'm fortunate enough to have been able to work with some of the kindest mine=ds. And if you ask me, the current team that I work with, so my colleagues, I think he's the kindest person that I have met ever. And in fact, I have become more kind just by being interacting with him. So that's why I say that, it's really fortunate to have people in your lives, you know, who can have the impact on you, in a positive way.
Tom Ollerton 3:13
And Kavita, what I would like to know, is how do you deal with overwhelm when things get too much, because you've done a really broad range of roles as a really impressive list of different areas you've worked in, within marketing. So at some point, I'm sure it's all been just too much. How did you get yourself out of that mindset?
Kavita Yadav 3:33
Yeah, I think one simple thing that I do is that I take a break. And that's the thing that anyone and they can do it so is it taking a break normally doesn't mean that you have to go on long vacations or you know, have a long break, it can be just five minutes break, or two minutes break, you know. At first you have to detach yourself from all the chaos, you know, before you can handle it. So that's what I do. And you know, at times I feel just connecting with nature also helps me get back on track, even if it is like momentary, you just look around, looking at the plants, look at the flowers and look at the birds chirping around. So in my balcony, there is a water kind of you know, the birds come and drink water. So you look at that and you feel refreshed and you get back on track, you get back to your work. So generally, I am a very disciplined and calm person. So I don't get overwhelmed so easily. But when I do, then taking one thing at a time really helps. And then I always think that you know, you cannot control or change everything. So don't worry about things that are not in your hands, but take control of things that is in your hands and make it work positively. So you just have to have a positive mindset and just you know, relax, just take a break. That's what I do. And things get in place as they normally do.
Tom Ollerton 4:48
Well, even the calm nature of your voice has calmed me down a little bit. So that's how I like the idea of little birds playing on the windowsill but I'm not sure everyone has that pleasure but I think it's a great bit of advice.
Tom Ollerton 5:00
To move in from mindset to an actual marketing tip, what is that bit of advice that you find yourself sharing most often that's really resonated and help move your career forward?
Kavita Yadav 5:17
Yeah. So see, marketing is such an interesting discipline where you get, we get a lot of integrity. So the marketing tip that I would like to give is that you know, you have to you, you should work towards creating a memorable marketing message, and be a creative storyteller to deliver that message. So how do you create that memorable marketing message. So this is possible only if you have a human angle to your marketing message or campaign and have an emotion attached to it. Because in these evolved times, your marketing has really evolved. So only the salesy page, or just information about your product, or services is not going to do a trick, you should be authentic, and tell a story which instantly connects. So as I said, that we are in the world of evolved marketing. And I really get impressed with some wonderful marketing campaigns, and most of them have a sentiment attached to it. Sometimes it's, it's sensible, you know, to just to stray away from your main marketing agenda, like the overall company might have some agenda, you know, some business profits and all those things, and tell stories that make your brand more memorable and likeable. Because that's the value that is going to stay, the more creative you get with your storytelling of the values that you have on the marketing campaigns that you're trying to deliver to the market, the more likely you will stand out and improve your brand image.
Kavita Yadav 6:39
So I keep coming across, you know, some of the very good marketing campaigns, which has the, you know, human thing to it, which has the, which has the capacity of creating those memorable marketing message. So recently, I will just like to quote the example from a diaper brand, Huggies. So they, they found this research showing that, you know, positive impact of hugs on babies. So not only babies, only the positive impact is also on adults, but you know, helps build their immune systems. So that's the research they came out with, it stabilizes their vital signs, it improves brain development, etc. So this inspired the brand's no baby unhugged campaign. So that stick to your mind, because it is somewhere relating to you, you know, so that you're creating a message, which is going to have a memory in the new. So that campaign aimed at educating parents about the benefits of skin to skin contact, and providing volunteers in hospital for babies in need of hug. So you see the human angle and instant connect there. So that's what I'm talking about. So consumers today, they are very well aware and have great exposure, you know, this is the information age. So everything is on your tips, you want it and you have it. So the consumers understand that everything is business, but by adding that authenticity, and emotional quotient, you differentiate yourself, they are they are not likely to respond positively, you know, as much as they used to, to the to the salesy content that was really a very much and maybe 5-10 years before. But now the brands, we need to develop better strategies to build that authentic relationships, you know, and one thing that I really want to say is that we should always, always respect our audience's time and intelligence. So they're like, very, like, there are so many brands who are really playing on this thing. So you can talk about Cadbury's, you talk about Nike, you talk about adidas, so you name it. And now brands are really not understanding these things. So I think the human angle or the memorable message that you can create, so that would be my marketing tip. And I really try to take that even in everything I do. So that there is some kind of connection and warmth attached to whatever you do.
Tom Ollerton 8:56
Can you give me an example of that memorable marketing message and human angle approach in b2b?
Kavita Yadav 9:03
Yeah, so recently, also in Genpact. So we have been, like really experimenting and doing a lot of campaigns with this warmth and human touch. So I do remember one message and also the Comm. So there, there's a, like an insurance and those things that we are providing the services, so So when there is a lot of catastrophe, and there is a lot of fear, destroy, and there's like a lot of chaos, then then you get the insurance people then you give them the calm, you know, the calm after the storm. So the whole message served the calm after the storm. So it gives you some kind of warmth, yes, there would be some support. So those kinds of messaging and those kinds of words that you build in your marketing message is really going to work and it connects with the audience. And there is authenticity as well that those services that you're providing is for them to come Out of that disaster, you know.
Tom Ollerton 10:02
That's a great answer. And we should probably talk about off air about how you think that my business could advertise itself better using memorable marketing messages with a human angle. It's difficult in b2b in ad tech sales and marketing. But it's a great point. Although I think Huggies have it slightly easy. With cute babies and hugs hang up thing, it's been easier. But as you say, it is a lovely example of that.
Tom Ollerton 10:34
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Tom Ollerton 11:10
So we're gonna move on now to your shiny new object, which is purpose driven marketing. So I say this is a contemporary objective has been around not that long, but it's certainly a shiny object for a lot of brands, and a lot of people are moving towards it. So what is purpose driven marketing to you? And why is it your shiny new object?
Kavita Yadav 11:29
Yeah, I think you're right, that it has been here since quite some time. But in these times, especially after COVID, and how the world has changed. So purpose in marketing has really taken the center stage. So as we know, the times have changed and marketing has never been so evolved. And it has become more humane. You know, we have been through really tough times, and consumers have become more socially and politically engaged, they are more aware. So in uncertain times, if one thing is certain is that consumers are demanding more from brands, and that's what makes purpose driven marketing more meaningful. So they want them to speak up on social and cultural issues. And they want to know, like, what the brands stand for. So with this focus on sustainability, and company ethics, you know, so it all has taken a center stage, and it has value in it. So it's also great opportunity for brands to build loyalty. And it also is an approach need to differentiate themselves with authenticity, and purpose. So obviously, you cannot fake it, right. So the audience is very smart. So marketing is not any more just about product selling and giving information about your services, as I mentioned before, as well, it needs to have an overarching purpose, it needs to have a human connect.
Kavita Yadav 12:48
For example, I recently saw this marketing campaign by Weibo, you know, it's a mobile brand, if you know, so they have this switch off campaign, where a wife sends an email to her husband informing him about her ill health in an email, you know, in spite of the fact that he was physically present with her. So smartphones have no doubt made our lives easier. And we cannot imagine our daily routine without it. It is great innovation, but its excessive use is weakening human relationships, and many times, you know, so they are also drifting us away from our loved ones. But this campaign, so this proposal, and marketing is playing here, right? So this campaign focuses on this critical topic. And in spite of a smartphone, which has to be used more and more, it urges people to take some time off and switch off their phones and switch on their relationships. So it is an example of more considerate marketing and has a purpose. So that's what I'm trying to say. So purpose driven marketing is something which is really going to pull the audience's you know, so if you see the companies and organizations, they're talking about mental wellbeing, they are talking about carbon footprint, LGBTQ plus and whatnot. So everything has to have some purpose of whatever marketing campaigns if I specify our marketing, so it has to come down from the, you know, the overall purpose or the overall thing that your company stands for. So one of the benefits of purpose in marketing is that it allows a brand to express its values and when your audience connects with that value, or when consumers or your target audience relates to those values. It's a genuine pull. So it it has to be authentic. So that's the main thing you cannot just be there and be in the trend that yes, we had this when you when you're really not practicing. That's because with the rise of social media, so and there's a lot of network things that are the top brands can be you know, they can be held accountable. And it's really easy. You're also you must have seen the so many things so because it is increasingly vigilant and demanding marketplace. So you have to be very genuine so purpose driven marketing as you know, we also call it cause marketing. So one of the strengths of marketing as a discipline is that it's a response to the nature in response to the market market conditions very quickly. And purpose driven marketing is strong example of this. So whatever is in trend, super companies may pick it up. But if you're just picking it up without any foundation without being into it this long, it's not going to work. So it's a long thing, it's not just a momentary thing. So it is something which has to be inbuilt. So it is designed to showcase a brand's commitment to higher order impact, you know, which is purpose driven marketing promises more to its stakeholders, and to the wider society than simply just by just a quality products and services, which is obviously there. So you know, there are like good products in the marketing, good services in the marketing, but what is going to differentiate is the value that you're providing. So that's what I say. So beyond giving back and creating common good, this approach can enable profitable growth for companies by increasing brand appeal and customer loyalty.
Tom Ollerton 16:04
So there's a handful of brands that obviously played perfectly into this, I guess, Patagonia, Ben and Jerry's businesses, with Burt's Bees, businesses that were just kind of environmentally centric from the outset. And I think they have pushed the industry towards that kind of thinking. But most businesses, really their authenticity, or their call was to make someone lots of money somewhere at some time, right? That's why they were set up or yes, sure, you got passionate people. But if you're outside of a lifestyle business or kitchen sink business, someone wants to get rich, right? That's why they did it, pretty much I would have thought the majority of products, it was someone's entrepreneurial vision to go and do this, then it scaled, that person may have left the business, maybe not. But generally speaking, you will have custodians of their brands, and then they have to try and find a way to have a cause, have a purpose. But how can that possibly be authentic? If your heart wasn't there in the first place?
Kavita Yadav 17:10
Yeah. So that's what I'm saying. And also the businesses are there to make profits. So no doubt, everybody knows that if you've set up a business, then it doesn't mean that you're going to earn profits, otherwise, the business will be just, you know, it will not be there, if there is no profits, because they have to have people, their jobs, their salaries, everything. What I'm saying is that after a certain level, when you are like your brand when your steam ran in the market. And then you also have a responsibility towards the society, for example, Adidas, you know, is a fashion brand. So it is also known to be one of the you know, purpose driven marketing leader, it is a company. So, so I know that, you know, for example, they have sustainability and fashion, you know, they still don't go well together, you know, because fashion is at times, you know, at the cost of so many natural things. But adidas has committed to step to it, for example, I was reading somewhere that from 2024, only recycled plastic will be used by Adidas and by 2050, all production will be climate neutral. So these kinds of steps, which they are like, you know, they are following it. So they are also doing it, they are not just preaching it. So it's not only for the marketing campaigns, that they are placing out the values that they have those values, they are standing for it, but they have to practice it, starting from the top, like from the leadership and the way they deal, the way they do business. Like if you're talking about the carbon footprint, then you are talking about it, but then in your marketing initiatives, you're not really considering that. So those kinds of informed decisions and being judicious about what you're doing, minding your steps, and you know, being really considerate in everything. So that is going to change the game.
Tom Ollerton 17:10
So how do you do it? So say, for example, someone who's listening to this podcast has just got a new job, pay rise, exciting move, and they've arrived in this business, and there's none of this. There's no purpose. There's no reason for this brand existing other than to sell this product. But this person wants to make that difference. Wants you make that change. How do you start?
Kavita Yadav 19:10
Really easy past the perspective that if you really want to make a difference, you can you know, start by switching off the extra lights that might be just, you know, being on in your house? Or maybe start using less of water? Don't do let alone?
Tom Ollerton 19:22
Sorry. Sorry, let me clarify the question. I mean, at that brand, so they've got a new job at the brand, how do they get that brands become a purpose driven brand? If there's no activity in that area at this time?
Kavita Yadav 19:35
Sorry I really didn't get the question. So brands are there and they want to become purpose driven, but they don't have the opportunity or what?
Tom Ollerton 19:43
I was imagining someone who's just started a job at a brand and they've arrived at the brand, brilliant opportunity, but that brand is not focused on any purpose. So how'd you get a brand that has no purpose to having a purpose, what are the steps that someone could take?
Kavita Yadav 19:56
So obviously, the brand so once the brand comes to a level where there is a you know, saturation like yes, you are doing what you have been doing, and you have been making profit. So, you have to go to the next level. And so, how do you go to the next level, so, you have to differentiate yourself. So, there that is the point where you have to understand that is the value. So, the the market that we are now in that has to, that is seeing the value driven marketing campaigns and value driven brands, you know, so people are more loyal and more attracted to the companies and brands, which have some values. So, that company will have to understand, otherwise they will be left behind. So, they will only be a product and services company, and they can be just in last next 10 years, because you have to understand that if you don't follow the things that is going to keep you alive, then you may just become redundant, you know, so it's not just services, because there will be a number of people will be offering the same services. And same goes in effect. So unless and until you really have some great innovation, which nobody's gonna do it. So the companies will have to understand, so if you join a company, and you are in touch with the leadership, so you can just start the conversation, like what is the value that you're providing to the society, because after making some profits, and after being able to survive, you know, from all those hardships? So, what is the next step? What is what is the next thing that we are going to, what is the evolution that we are going to make? So those kinds of questions, the right questions, if you think over them, and, you know, try to answer those things, then obviously, you will realize the team will realize the company will realize that, you know, having a purpose for the company, and you will have to think so for the local area, what is that thing that you can really support, and genuinely support, not just for the sake of, you know, being a very driven, it's okay, if you don't want to support anything, so you can just be you know, providing the best of services, codes and good experiences. But then you should be clear that you don't want to focus on the value driven or purpose driven, kind of approach.
Tom Ollerton 21:54
I really like that last question to ask the CEO, what is the value that this business is providing to society? It's as simple as that, and what a brilliant question to start that conversation, but also finish this podcast. So thank you so much for your time. And thank you for bringing purpose driven marketing back to the front and center of my thinking. And I hope we've done that for the audience as well. But if someone wanted to get in touch with you Kavita, how would you like the audience to do that? And what makes a really good message to reach out to you?
Kavita Yadav 22:26
I think, so as I said, the social media is really on the rise. So I think LinkedIn is one of the best platforms. That is, I really appreciate. And I think that's a place where people can reach out to me. And I would really like people to be very straightforward. And you know, just be direct. So that's something that really makes sense to me.
Tom Ollerton 22:46
Fantastic. Thanks so much for your time.
Kavita Yadav 22:48
Thank you so much, Tom.
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